Business guru doesn’t sugar coat his words

Sir Alan Sugar has reportedly said a lot of small business bosses are living in "Disney World"

He is well known for not mincing his words, and Sir Alan Sugar’s latest reported outbursts have ruffled a few feathers.

His most famous phrase is “You’re fired” which he directs at underperforming stars of the hit business reality TV programme The Apprentice.

But according to reports he has used more colourful language which he aimed at underperforming small businesses.

Lord Sugar dismissed bosses of struggling small businesses as “moaners” who “live in Disney World”, it has been reported.

Lord Sugar, who was appointed as the Government’s “enterprise champion” earlier this year, claimed just 15% of companies which were refused bank loans had good reason to complain.

The rest, he said, needed an “insolvency practitioner” rather than more credit.

His comments will come as a blow to efforts by ministers to urge banks to boost their lending to smaller firms.

The multi-millionaire businessman told delegates at a conference for small to medium businesses in Manchester that a lot of the problems are from companies he would not lend a penny to. 

He said that the “moaners” are bust and they don’t need the bank – they need an insolvency practitioner.

Tags: conference, government, management & business consultants, running a business, sir alan sugar, small businesses